According to Matt Damon, he’s “really let down” that Clint Eastwood handed his Oscars back. Eastwood, the legendary actor and director behind “Unforgiven” and “Million Dollar Baby,” made headlines when he returned his Academy Awards, saying he no longer wanted to be associated with the direction Hollywood has taken. The move stunned the industry and drew strong reactions from both sides.
Damon, who worked with Eastwood on “Invictus” and “Hereafter,” was asked about it during a press stop for his latest film. He didn’t hide his disappointment.
“Clint’s an icon,” Damon said. “Those were his, fair and square. Too bad he let politics turn his heart black.”
The comment spread quickly online, and it didn’t take long for Eastwood to see it. The 96-year-old answered on X and ended it fast.
@EastwoodOriginal 5:06PM: “Go ask Matt how black his heart got when his buddy Harvey Weinstein got locked up.”
That was it. One post. No follow-up, no long explanation. The reply racked up millions of views within hours. Eastwood’s fans called it one of the cleanest knockouts they’d seen on social media in years. Many said it was classic Clint, short and to the point, like a line out of one of his Westerns.
Damon’s early career is closely tied to Miramax, the studio Weinstein co-founded. It was Miramax that released “Good Will Hunting,” the 1997 film Damon co-wrote with Ben Affleck. The movie won them an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay and launched both of their careers. Weinstein was later convicted of sex crimes and sent to prison.
Damon has not responded to Eastwood’s post. His representatives didn’t return requests for comment, and he has said nothing on the subject since.
Crickets from Damon.
The back-and-forth highlights the growing divide in Hollywood between longtime stars who have drifted away from the industry’s politics and those who remain at its center. Eastwood has long been one of the few openly conservative voices among Hollywood’s biggest names, and he has never seemed bothered by what his peers think of him.
Damon, meanwhile, has generally stayed on good terms with the industry establishment. His fans defended him online, saying his comment about Eastwood was mild and that bringing up Weinstein was a low blow.
Eastwood’s supporters saw it differently. They said that if Damon wants to lecture someone about what turned their heart black, he should remember who helped get him through the door in the first place.
Many in Hollywood seem to be keeping their heads down on this one. Few stars have weighed in publicly, and the ones who have mostly sided with staying out of it.
Eastwood, as usual, appears to be moving on. People close to him say he is working on another project and doesn’t plan to say anything more. Funny who he got his start from.